Toronto streetcars let visitors get to know the city

A subway train travels faster, but it can't compare with the feeling aboard a good, old-fashioned trolley. Even a slow one.

The people of Toronto are passionate about theirs. Only don't call them trolleys. Here, they're streetcars.

Maybe it's the clang, clang of the bell as an errant cyclist darts across the track or the fact there's time to get to know fellow passengers such as Frankie, a Boston terrier — at least until word of a long delay causes him and his owner to exit.

"A disabled truck is fouling the line," the streetcar driver announced. His polite, almost apologetic tone added to the nostalgia.

In the 1960s and '70s, when other North American cities were scrapping their streetcars and tearing up track, Toronto citizens were clamoring to save theirs. That clearly was a good thing for them and for tourists.

And so, unlike cities with modern, purpose-built light-rail corridors, streetcars here continue to go head to head with buses, cars and trucks, just like they did when the first line opened in 1922.

There are now 11 lines. For visitors who want to venture beyond popular downtown sights such as the CN Tower and Hockey Hall of Fame, the red-and-white streetcars provide an inexpensive way to explore the vibrant neighborhoods.

Toronto is one of the most ethnically diverse places on the planet. Half of its residents were born outside Canada. Chinese is spoken by more than 420,000 of the city's 2.8 million people.

A buzzing Chinatown is just five minutes west of the commercial core aboard the 505 streetcar. Where the 505 (Dundas) line intersects the 510 (Spadina), vendors peddle a seemingly infinite variety of wares.

Sure, there are scores of shops and restaurants, but the atmosphere abounds right on the sidewalk, where vendors sell everything from backpacks to clothing to exotic fruits, herbs and spices.

Just a couple of blocks away, the colorful scene continues at Kensington Market, a 10-square-block hodgepodge of coffee bars, boutiques and eateries. It's a great destination for time-constrained visitors who want experience the locals' Toronto.

Protests earlier this year forced developers to abandon plans to build a Wal-Mart in the neighborhood. It was another victory for those who, as with streetcars, like things just the way they are.

Farther west on the 505, riders pass through a mix of colorful neighborhoods.

A visit to The Monkey's Paw (416-531-2123, monkeyspaw.com), a small bookshop at 1229 Dundas St. West, provides a curious diversion.

"This is not where you're going to get the trade paperback you'd read on the streetcar," owner Stephen Fowler cautioned.

A glimpse at shelves stocked with titles such as "Cartooning for Everybody" and "The Diamond Dictionary" proves his point. The place is loaded with antiquities, from books to the typewriters they were written on.

For a surprise treat, put a "toonie," the nickname for Canada's $2 coin, into the Biblio-Mat, a vending machine that dispenses books. The title of the purchase isn't revealed until the book drops into a wide slot.

People can peruse their reads over a Bohemian Rhapsody, a smoothie made from fresh berries, granola, maple syrup and yogurt, at the nearby Lakeview Restaurant (1132 Dundas St. West, 416-850-8886, thelakeviewrestaurant.ca). Calorie-counters, however, may want to skip the deep-fried mac-and-cheese balls.

Running roughly parallel to the 505, the 501 (Queen) is North America's longest line. National Geographic's "Journeys of a Lifetime" described it as the world's top trolley ride.

The schedule says the 15.4-mile route can be traveled in less than two hours. But after buying an $11 day pass, visitors can easily spend hour after hour hopping on and off to enjoy the eclectic sights along Queen Street.

Near the line's east end is The Beaches, a serene neighborhood with a bike-friendly waterfront along Lake Ontario.

Stoke up for the day with breakfast at Vi Vetha Bistro (2485 Queen St. East, 416-686-5688, vivethabistro.com).The wild blueberry pancakes topped with fresh caramelized apples, served with bacon and sausage, are just $8.

The line moves inland as it approaches downtown, passing the iconic City Hall, two concave towers erected in 1965.

Farther west, the street is dotted for miles with art galleries both large and small.

"It's almost like a huge museum that's spread along one linear street," Micallef said.

The Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art (952 Queen St. West, 416-395-0067, mocca.ca) is devoted to works created since 1985.

A completely different art experience awaits at the Gladstone Hotel (1214 Queen St. West, 416-531-4635, gladstonehotel.com/about), with ever-changing galleries on the second, third and fourth floors.

Guests can climb the creaking wooden stairs or opt for the fun of riding in an old elevator, a gilded cage built in 1906. It still requires an employee to handle the controls.

"Most of the staff know how to operate it," a hotel clerk observed.

The Gladstone serves tasty food, but for a uniquely Canadian experience, head to Poutini's House of Poutine (1112 Queen St. West, 647-342-3732, poutini.com).

At its simplest, poutine is french fries and cheese curds with gravy. Adventurous diners can add bacon and maple syrup.

Having again stoked up, visitors can opt to hoof it from one line to another, not only to burn calories but to enhance their experience.

"Zigzag between them," Micallef urged. "Toronto is a city of neighborhoods and of subtleties which you only find when you're on foot going in between places. That's when the city will reveal itself."

The Toronto Transit Commission (ttc.ca) provides route maps and schedules, as well as travel alerts.

For an incredible bargain, ride on Saturday, Sunday or a (Canadian) holiday. That's when an $11 CAD day pass is good for two adults and as many as four children or one adult and five children. (Anyone 19 or younger is considered a child.)

Streetcars run down the middle of the roadway with traffic lanes on either side. Motorists are required to stop to allow passengers to get on and off. Still, it's a good idea to watch out for lawbreakers before stepping into the street.